According to my limited math skills, 10 years ago takes us back to 2016. And if you were tuned into Ugandan music then, you couldn’t escape it.
There are years in Ugandan music that simply pass by, and then there are years that completely change the direction of the industry. 2016 was one of those years.
It was the year nightlife had its own soundtrack. A time when taxis, bars, school discos, and every roadside speaker seemed trapped in an endless battle between “Nkwatako,” “Musawo,” and “Farmer Remix.” You could barely attend a party without hearing crowds scream the lyrics word for word. It felt like every weekend belonged to a different anthem, but somehow all roads still led back to the same three names: Sheebah Karungi, Winnie Nwagi, and Ykee Benda.
Before then, they were seen as promising acts with potential. After 2016, they became stars the industry could no longer ignore. That was the year songstresses Sheebah Karungi and Winnie Nwagi stopped being just names in rotation, tagged as “promising artistes,” and fully cemented themselves on the local scene, thanks to two career-defining solo songs.
The two artistes reinvented not only their sound but also themselves, earning influence and staying power that has stretched far beyond that era. They forced the industry to evolve with them, and it did. They introduced new sounds, fresh performance styles, and even altered expectations around female artistry in Uganda.
On the other side was then-rookie star Ykee Benda, who made what many would call his official entry into the mainstream that same year with “Farmer (Remix)” featuring Sheebah. In the duet, the self-styled “boy so tender, first on every girl’s agenda” not only scored a massive hit but also won widespread applause, with the song ranking among the hottest collaborations in end-of-year countdowns. It was more than a song; it was an arrival announcement.
Enter Sheebah Karungi and “Nkwatako”
By 2016, Sheebah Karungi was already familiar with the spotlight. After years of trying to establish herself following her days in a dancehall group and working as a dancer and backup singer, she had slowly started shedding those labels and stepping into a more calculated, self-assured version of herself, thanks largely to her then-manager Jeff Kiwa and Team No Sleep (TNS).
Although Sheebah’s solo career had started years earlier, it was around 2014 that she truly caught public attention with songs like “Ice Cream,” “Twesana,” and collaborations such as “Mundongo” and “Go Down Low” with Pallaso.
But then came “Nkwatako.”
The song didn’t just perform well; it dominated. It lived on radio stations, in clubs, on TV countdowns, and in everyday conversation. “Nkwatako” transformed Sheebah from a promising artiste into a fully-fledged mainstream force.
Nearly a decade later, the song still ranks among her biggest records and remains one of her most viewed songs on YouTube.
Since then, Sheebah has continued to evolve musically and personally. She has staged major concerts, expanded her catalogue, built her brand, and achieved milestones both within and outside music. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that she later separated from the management structure many believed was responsible for her success, yet she still managed to stand tall on her own.
Then Winnie Nwagi and “Musawo”
At almost the same time, Winnie Nwagi was carving out her own lane in the same highly competitive industry.
Like Sheebah, Nwagi had already released a few songs before her breakthrough moment. Tracks like “Embeera,” “Gwenoonya,” and “Katono Katono” had shown promise and gained decent airplay.
Then “Musawo” arrived in early 2016.
The song was more than a hit; it was a statement. With her commanding vocals that blended vulnerability, emotion, and attitude, Nwagi instantly stood apart from many of her peers. To listeners, “Musawo” felt like the arrival of an artiste they had unknowingly been waiting for.
By the end of 2016, Winnie Nwagi was no longer “upcoming.” She had become unavoidable.
Interestingly, unlike many artistes who frequently change management, Nwagi has largely stayed loyal to the same record label, Swangz Avenue, that introduced her to the mainstream, despite occasional rumors of fallout over the years. Perhaps that consistency has been part of the magic. But that’s a story for another day.
Her influence became even more evident in 2022 when she staged a hugely attended concert at Lugogo Cricket Oval, a show many still rank among the venue’s biggest turnouts after UB40. To date, she remains one of Uganda’s most dominant female performers, balancing talent, attitude, and star power in equal measure.
…And finally, Ykee Benda and “Farmer (Remix)”
Then there was Ykee Benda.
At the time, he was still hovering around the edges of mainstream recognition. He had released music before, but nothing had fully clicked yet.
That changed with “Farmer (Remix),” especially through its pairing with Sheebah.
The song’s infectious energy and catchy melody gave Ykee Benda the visibility he desperately needed. It placed him firmly within Uganda’s evolving pop landscape instead of outside it looking in.
Ironically, after “Farmer (Remix)” blew up, many listeners started discovering some of his older songs like “Munna Kampala,” mistakenly assuming they were new releases because they suddenly gained massive traction.
He later followed up with more hit songs, eventually staging a successful concert at Kampala Serena Hotel in early 2019. He would also go on to launch his own record label before taking a relatively quieter turn in recent years while focusing on personal ventures. However, the singer has since announced his return to active music.
Other Major Songs from 2016
2016 came right before Uganda fully embraced streaming metrics as the standard measure of success. YouTube existed, but many songs exploded offline first before later gaining views online. Some records were massive cultural moments despite being underrepresented digitally.
Some of the biggest songs from that year included:
- “Soraye” – Eddy Kenzo
- “Byagana” – Radio & Weasel ft Ziza Bafana
- “Kisasi Kimu” – Sheebah
- “Kilungi” – Rema Namakula
- “Tukumbe” – Lydia Jazmine
- “Mwana Gwe” – King Saha
- “Wadda Wa” – Sheebah ft Chozen Blood
- “Njogereza” – Navio
- “Gamululu (Remix)” – A Pass ft Konshens
- “Sala Puleesa” – Mun G
- “So Nice” – David Lutalo
- “Kabulengane” – Bebe Cool
- “Agatako” – Jose Chameleone ft DJ Pius
- “Aidah” – Bobi Wine
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